Transition phase optimisation The key to a successful milk production

An optimal supply during the transition phase lays the foundation for successful lactation and is therefore of crucial importance. Pay special attention to your cows during this phase to ensure they start the next reproductive cycle successfully!

Understanding the transition phase

The transition phase begins approximately 21 days before calving and ends around 21 days after the birth of the calf. These six weeks are crucial for the cow's next lactation. The susceptibility to diseases is significantly higher during the transition phase, as nearly three-quarters of all illnesses occur during this period. To ensure the cow transitions optimally from the dry period to peak production, careful monitoring of her health is of the utmost priority.

The stages of the transition phase

The transition phase is divided into the following three stages:

Dry off
Dry cows refer to those cows that are in the period between the previous lactation and the birth of the next calf. Drying off the udder typically begins 6 to 8 weeks before the estimated calving date and is done abruptly. During the dry period, the entire organism has time to regenerate and prepare for the calf.

Calving
At the end of the dry period, the cow calves after approximately 280 days of pregnancy. Shortly before calving, it is especially important to keep an eye on the cow to detect any potential complications early and intervene at the right moment. Ideally, the cow will not need assistance during calving, but occasionally difficulties may arise. You can find all the important facts about calving in this blog article.

Fresh cows
After calving, the cow enters lactation and begins producing milk. During this phase, she recovers from giving birth and undergoes a significant metabolic shift, which makes her more susceptible to diseases.

How you benefit from smaXtec during the transition phase

With the smaXtec system, you have constant visibility of your cows throughout the entire transition phase, ensuring they start the upcoming lactation period well-prepared.

Dry off

During the dry-off period, you particularly benefit from smaXtec, as dairy cows are not milked in the weeks leading up to calving, increasing the risk of diseases such as dry cow mastitis going unnoticed. Continuous monitoring of the cow's inner body temperature via the bolus in the rumen ensures their health status is observed throughout the dry off. If early signs of illness are detected, we notify you promptly so that you can intervene in time.

With smaXtec, you monitor the health of each individual cow and can intervene early if necessary – before external symptoms appear and well before changes in feeding and rumination behavior of your dairy cow!

Calving

With our innovative bolus technology, we measure inner body temperature with unparalleled precision (± 0.01 °C), allowing us to detect the slight temperature drop that is a typical sign of impending calving. With smaXtec, you receive a calving alert directly to your smartphone or PC on average 15 hours before each birth, giving you ample time to make all necessary preparations for a smooth calving process.

Even in the case of twin births or particularly difficult calvings, you can identify clear indicators in the smaXtec curve diagram and assist the cow during birth.

Fresh cows

Fresh cows need special attention, as mistakes made during this period are difficult or impossible to correct. Adequate water intake is crucial for successful milk production during this time. With our AI-powered application, TruDrinking^®, you can monitor the water intake of each cow to ensure sufficient water supply.

Additionally, our unique bolus technology allows monitoring of other vital health parameters such as inner body temperature and rumination activity. This provides important insights into potential diseases like milk fever.

With smaXtec, you benefit from unique data to optimise the health and performance of your dairy cows during the critical transition phase. This ensures that your cows start the upcoming lactation period well-prepared. Because healthy and productive dairy cows are key to increased profitability for your dairy operation!